With state security agents having contributed to over 80 percent of human rights violations, and having been the
major perpetrators since the month of March, it is clear that Zimbabwe is going down the path of full-scale
repression and more and more, as agreed to by the general population, democratic space is closing up and this
requires serious introspection by those in government. They need to go to the drawing board, and be honest with
each other on where they are getting it wrong, and only that is the beginning of the path to doing the right thing.
Having done that, the following questions are what the government needs to ask itself and answer:
• Should the economy of Zimbabwe continue on a path to meltdown while everyone watches? No, government
can do the right thing and prioritise an all-inclusive approach that will ensure all stakeholders contribute to the
decision on economic policies and pronouncements.
• The economy does not work in isolation, and so government should ensure that it goes back to constitutionalism,
and ensure that every Zimbabwean enjoys their rights as enshrined in the supreme law. It is only with the
enjoyment of rights that Zimbabweans can meaningfully and actively contribute to the prosperity of the country.
Abused citizens can only remain traumatized and despondent.
• Government should listen to the people’s concerns, especially regarding corruption. July 31 was a momentous
point of expression for Zimbabweans. They abhor corruption and all they want is transparency and accountability,
and surely it will not take much for government to do that. If at all, it is the easy way, and it is the only win-win
situation available. Zimbabweans need that and demand that. In any case corruption is making the majority
suffer as service delivery to meet their socio economic needs is non existent.
• State brutality on citizens must END! State security agents have a mandate to protect citizens without
discrimination, and citizens deserve to feel safe around state security agents. Who will protect the citizens if the
state security agents do not?
AN APPEAL TO SADC & AU: ZPP joins the growing calls for the intervention of SADC and the AU to help
ZImbabe get out of the deteriorating human rights situation.
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ABOUT THE ZIMBABWE PEACE PROJECT
The organisation was founded in 2000 by church-based and human rights organisations.
The current members of ZPP are Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), Catholic Commission
for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ), Counselling Services Unit (CSU), Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), Civic
Education Network Trust (CIVNET), Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ), National Association for the Care of the Handicapped
(NASCOH) and Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA).
ZPP was established with the objective of monitoring, documenting and building peace and promoting the peaceful resolution of disputes
and conflicts. The Zimbabwe Peace Project seeks to foster dialogue and political tolerance through non-partisan peace monitoring
activities, mainly through monitors who document the violations of rights in the provinces.
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